Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. today announced the hate crime indictment of ALSHON WILLIAMS, 49, for stabbing and shooting at a transgender woman in Central Harlem after misgendering her and shouting an anti-gay slur. WILLIAMS is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with Assault in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, Attempted Assault in the First Degree as a Hate Crime, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and Menacing in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime. [1]
“As alleged, this defendant hurled hateful words and slurs before this violent attack. It is a miracle that the victim was not severely injured – or even killed – and we wish her a speedy recovery,” said District Attorney Bragg. “If you have been a victim of a hate crime, please call my Office’s Hate Crimes Hotline at 212-335-3100.”
According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, just after midnight on November 1, 2022, WILLIAMS allegedly confronted the 36-year-old victim and her friend in front of the apartment building on Frederick Douglass Boulevard and told them to quiet down because people were trying to sleep inside.
WILLIAMS allegedly misgendered the victim and called her an anti-gay slur. WILLIAMS then retrieved a sharp object and stabbed the victim in the face at least two times, causing lacerations above her right eye.
WILLIAMS pulled out a firearm and fired three shots in the direction of the victim, missing her, before fleeing the scene on a moped.
Assistant D.A. Meghan McNulty is handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A. Hannah Yu (Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit), Assistant D.A. Jonathon Junig (Deputy Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit) and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). Trial Preparation Assistant Una Cooper, Investigative Analyst Maya King and Hate Crimes Unit Senior Investigative Analysts Julie Ann Doren Lim and Caitlin Kang assisted with the prosecution.
D.A. Bragg thanked Det. Alexander Santiago of the 32nd Precinct Detective Squad and the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force for their assistance with this case.
Defendant Information:
ALSHON WILLIAMS
New York, NY
Charges:
- Assault in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, a class C felony, one count
- Attempted Assault in the First Degree as a Hate Crime, a class C felony, 2 counts
- Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, two counts
- Menacing in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, a class E felony, one count
###
[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.